Meet Sara
A New, Healthier You!
A Fitness Experience with a difference!
Monday Motivation
Happy Monday!
Did you have a great weekend? I know I did. It was full of activity and fun thanks to the German engineering of my boyfriend, who plans things so well.
We did:
*cross country skiing at Beaudry Park
*gym time for a great workout
*go-cart racing at Speedway in St. James
*travel planning for our upcoming trip to Iceland and France
*using a pressure washer to wash his truck (tons of fun 
*gluten-free Mexican meal at Don Pedro’s in the Exchange District (I was totally surprised they would even have gluten free options there)
Not too shabby, huh?!
Anyway, being that it’s Monday, I wanted to share with you a fantastic quote to pump you up for the week ahead.
The quote has been used in various forms over the years. I think Henry Ford was the first to be quoted by it, but so has Mary Kay Ash and others.
“If you think you can, you can.
If you think you can’t, you’re right.”
Why is this important?
Because our thoughts become things. I’ve mentioned the power of the subconscious mind many times. Thinking that you will lose those last 10 pounds or training hard and running a sub 2hour half marathon – those thoughts when rehearsed over and over in your mind, become reality.
1. Write down what you truly desire on paper. Use the active form, not passive form.
2. Keep this paper with you at all times. Read and re-read it throughout the day. Not once, but a dozen times, or more.
3. Put it to memory.
4. Watch what happens.
Sara Hutniuk ~ Sweatmarks
Fit Trip Caribbean (it’s gonna be fun)
Happy Monday! I hope you had an awesome weekend.
If you picked up this morning’s Winnipeg Free Press and checked out the Life section right here, you would have seen yours truly on the front page highlighting my upcoming Fit Trip in winter 2012. Yay. Thanks to Shamona at the WFP for all her help.
Fit Trip?
What the heck is that? Well. It’s my brainchild for an active holiday catering to people sick and tired of gaining weight on a 10-day winter holiday (especially since they’re quite healthy the other 355 days a year).
Let’s tap into our subconscious mind for a moment and really visualize what this Fit Trip is all about. Close your eyes and dream with me for a moment.
It’s February 2012.
Winnipeg is enjoying a frigid winter with lots of snow and temperatures in the minus 30s.
But you’re not there.
Nope. You’re with me and 18 other people on my First Annual SWEATMARKS Fit Trip Caribbean aboard Princess Cruises.
We leave behind the snow and cold of Winnipeg and embark on a world-class cruise ship that starts off in the charming city of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico (where we’ll be venturing out on a historical walking tour of the city) and then we board the Princess cruise as it meanders its way through the Southern Caribbean to include stops in gorgeous St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Grenada and Aruba.
Instead of snow as far as the eyes can see, you’ll be seeing pristine beaches with golden sand, blue waters from the Caribbean Sea and sunrises that make your think that God spent a little extra time to make this area so beautiful.
Never mind the cruise ship. I’ve never been on a cruise before but Princess is top of the line for value and excellence. It’s literally a city on the sea and from what I’ve seen from Cheryl (my super travel planner at River East Travel) this ship is amazing.
Wish you were here?
Well you can.
About a year ago I got thinking about hosting my own fitness trip (ie Fit Trip) so people who enjoy being active and eating healthy can continue on that way during a vacation.
I’ve had several boot camp clients of mine complain after returning from their winter holidays that they actually felt worse than better – in no small part to weight gain due to rich foods, free-flowing alcohol and A LOT less activity (and no, walking from the bar to the pool does not count!).
Did you know that the average Canadian who goes on a winter vacation gains between 5-8 lbs during their trip?
Instead of feeling energized after your holiday you end up feeling sluggish.
As a personal trainer and health expert, I want to share with you another way….
Maybe I’m weird, but when I’m on holidays I still want to exercise, try new physical activities and not deviate too far from my eating routine. My gluten intolerance makes this my reality, but there are so many healthy eating options on a cruise (as I’ve found out). Cruises actually cater to a whole range of dietary needs. With Cheryl’s help, prior to my Fit Trip, I’m going to be able to review menus for our group meals together and provide a variety of options to select from. We’ll have smoothies for a post-workout snack, healthy breakfasts from the “healthy buffets” that includes lots of low-glycemic fruits, high quality proteins, and wheat-free grains.
HINT: By now you’ve probably realized that If you’re the kind of person who enjoys lounging on the sun deck while visiting the ice cream bar three times…then this Fit Trip might not be for you!
OK Sara I’m totally interested in a Fit Trip. What do I do next?
Great question.
Mark this date down because it’s happening this week: Wednesday November 23, 2011
With the excellent team at River East Travel I’m going to be holding an Information Night from 7-7:45pm.
The address is 1795 Henderson Hwy, Unit 11.
You need to RSVP Cheryl Gilmore at (204) 338-4677 by this Wednesday afternoon if you’re going to attend. Even if you aren’t sure about it, why not at least get some info on the costs, what’s included, all the extras we’ll be providing plus the fun and amazing body you’re going to have AFTER the cruise.
This will be a one-of-a-kind trip that no one else in Manitoba if offering.
5 Easy ways to Drop 5 Pounds
I’d like to share five simple strategies with you for shedding five pounds of fat before the holidays.
But first let me clear something up.
Weight loss can be put into two categories.
The first is a fully concentrated effort. This is where you dedicate yourself to counting every calorie and slaving away in the gym. The pounds come off, but once you relax the regimen your weight goes right back to where it was.
The second is a combination of simple lifestyle changes. This is where you change a few key factors about what you eat and how you exercise, without making it a fulltime job. This type of weight loss is gradual and permanent, since you are able to maintain it long term.
The five simple strategies below all fall into the lifestyle change category. These strategies may seem ridiculously simple, but do them over an extended period of time and you will see amazing, permanent results.
Strategy #1: Ditch Your Diet Soda
Studies are coming out that link diet soda to weight gain.
Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio concluded that those who drank two or more diet soft drinks a day had the largest waistline increases—about five times more than that of non-drinkers. They stated, “Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised: they may be free of calories, but not of consequences.”
Bottom line: Artificial sweeteners are addictive, lead to waistline increases, and cause you to crave sugary foods. By cutting diet soda out of your daily routine, and replacing it with water, you will lose inches and pounds—effortlessly.
Strategy #2: Swap Sandwich Bread for Lettuce
Move over bread, lettuce is better.
It’s time to re-define your sandwich. While bread has tradition on its side, lettuce wraps offer you weight loss and increased energy. Try my Tasty Tuna Lettuce Wraps recipe below.
Bottom line: Eating bread and other starchy foods always leads to extra pounds, so change your ways. Swap your sandwich bread for lettuce for 30 days and see how much you will effortlessly lose. I bet you’ll feel more energetic after lunch too.
Strategy #3: Trade Slow Cardio for Intense Intervals
Doing slow cardio will not give you results.
In order to really make your workout effective, you need to turn up the intensity. If you love the treadmill, then do a series of sprints throughout your workout. If you’re a swimmer, then push yourself extra hard every other lap.
Bottom line: Doing slow, easy cardio will not give you the streamline body you want. Only intense intervals will do that for you. Pepper your workout with bouts of intense cardio and watch as the fat starts to disappear.
Strategy #4: Avoid Sugar 99% Of The Time
Sugar will cause you to gain weight every single time.
There’s really no way around that simple truth. Sugar is standing between you and your perfect body. If you’re serious about looking and feeling great, then understand that sugar has no place in your diet.
Bottom line: If you avoid sugar 99% of the time, then you will be on your way to a lean and energetic body. If it’s your birthday or a special holiday, then partake in a small amount of sugar, but make that the exception and not the rule.
Strategy #5: Exercise With A Professional
When I design your workouts, you know it will be good.
People who work with a personal trainer get better results than those who attempt to do it on their own. Just look at my clients and their amazing transformations, and you’ll see what I mean. Each workout will push you to your limits, challenge your body and deliver the results you’re looking for.
Bottom line: All of my clients expect to get the best workout of their lives each and every time they train with me, and my job is to over-deliver.
Call or email today and I’ll get you started on a program that will get you to the body of your dreams.
mailto:sara@sweatmarks.com
Phone: 204 795 4467
To Good Health…with Thanks
As we enter October it may have donned on you that we’re 3/4 of the year through. Isn’t it funny that as kids the months just seem to drag on; as adults the years just zip by??
October is the unofficial start of Fall for most (even though it feels more like summer right now). And Thanksgiving is just a week and a bit away so I thought it fitting to devote this section to giving thanks for good health (for yourself and for those you care about). If you don’t have good health at this moment, then let’s give thanks for finding the strength to pick yourself up and start making the right choices for a healthy lifestyle.
Health is a funny thing. Many individuals take for granted their health until it’s gone; then they’ll do anything, pay any price to get it back.
What we want to do is to not take our health for granted…ever. We’ve been blessed by God with this amazing equipment called our body; it’s to be treated like a shrine, not as a toxic dump for poor quality food, inactivity, stress, and sleep deprivation.
Ask yourself this question: are you truly being thankful for the body you have and is your current health reflecting that?
Only you really know the answer.
But thankfulness comes in many forms. For example, You can be thankful to your body by fueling it with healthy foods. Most people know that a diet full of wheat, soda pop and processed foods will not lead to a healthy body. Being thankful to your body means drinking more water, choosing whole foods that come from nature, and watching your portions. At the supper table this Thanksgiving you can forgo the 2 slices of pumpkin pie and whipped topping and enjoy one small piece. Pass on the seconds. Listen to the needs of your body by eating slow and taking your time to let the food digest while it signals to your brain that you are full.
You can be thankful to your body by making the choice to not sleep in and instead go for your workout.You can be thankful that you have the physical ability to walk, run, do squats, lift weights (even though at boot camp sometimes you complain about it).
This reminds me of a situation I came across about a year ago where I did a 180 on being thankful. I was at the gym and having a tough workout. My legs were sore from the previous day’s exercises; I wanted to call it a day. Then, I saw a young man, maybe 28, who was a double amputee from the knees down. He was a veteran from Afghanistan. He was with a trainer and exercising so hard at things I’m sure in the past he would have found easy. Beads of sweat poured down his face and I could see the anguish in his face at just trying to lift himself off the floor. I felt so guilty. Utter disappointment in myself. Here I was, physically fit, a trainer and with both my legs in great working order, and I’m not being thankful for this gift. I’m whining. From that moment on and for every workout since, I keep that image of that man in my mind. I’m now thankful every day that I get the gift of a tough workout. That I can feel my legs burn with each squat or run. Think about that the next time you complain.
Finally, we should all be thankful to live in Canada. To live in a country of such wealth that affords us the opportunity to have all this wonderful food in our grocery stores and at our supper table. To have places to exercise and parks to walk in without the fear of being shot. To have fresh, clean water to fill up our fancy Sigg water bottles that we take to yoga and boot camp classes. To have running shoes on our feet and Lululemon on our backs. All that and more.
In this final quarter of 2011, may you find many reasons to be thankful for your health.
To quote Virgil: “The greatest wealth is health.”
Happy Thanksgiving to all. God Bless.
Make the best of your Fall and focus on routines.
The September long weekend is here and then sadly, we’re turning the page on Summer and heading into the busy routine of Fall – school, work, meetings, shorter days.
I don’t know about you, but I love Fall. The sun is just like a warm hug – not too hot, but just pleasant enough to want to be outside for hours (and still get a bit of a sunburn if you’re not careful 
As everyone heads back to their respective offices and classrooms, I wanted to share some thoughts on making the best of your Fall and focus on routines.
The first thing is getting back to normal sleeping patterns. During the summer months when there is so much exciting stuff to do (movies, patios, bbqs, outdoor concerts) it’s natural to want to stay up late and then sleep in late. But your body works best with a routine, so tonight make it a point to get back to your “school” week sleep time and wake up time. It will save you a ton of grief when school and work starts next week.
The next routine is getting back into fitness. I’ve come to accept as a personal trainer in Manitoba that summer weekends are precious. With the glorious summer we had, many participants took off for the summer (and you guys know who you are!). I know many of you made the promise back in June to find ways to be active at the cottage, but the reality usually tells a different story. I know only of a handful of boot campers who actually did my workouts at the cottage; the rest were lounging on the dock, boating, seadooing, or doing other more leisurely activities. Getting back to some high intensity boot camp workouts is the only cure…and man in that first week back going to be tough!
A third routine to get back into may be a tougher one for some…it’s cleaning up your eating. Even without exercise, people can maintain their weight if their eating is in check. But if eating goes out the window (and exercise) then you have a recipe for weight gain and a Fall wardrobe that won’t be fitting quite a well. So what you’re going to need to do is get rid of all those foods and beverages that are not part of your “trainer approved” meal plan. This includes alcohol, chips, hot dogs (uggh, yuck), marshmallows, boxed cookies, ice cream, freezies…etc., etc.
A final routine that is essential to return to is the mindset routine; getting your brain programmed for major goal setting once again and back on track. I would recommend reading the book “The Ant and the Elephant” by Vince Poscente to help get that elephant (your subconscious brain) charging. This is where your dream building comes into play and could very well chart a totally amazing path between now and Christmas.
So there’s my four routines that I want you to focus on for September. I’m going to be on the same path as you guys, as I ate a few too many pieces of date square over the summer and haven’t charged ahead with my leadership business as I had intentions of over the past couple months. We’re all in this together.
Yours in health,
Sara